Module:	Study, School Life and Work
Unit:		Through Students’ Eyes
Task 1:	Peer Counsellors

Description
There is a “Student Freewriting” corner on one of the school bulletin boards. Its purpose is for students to freely express their ideas about study and school life.

The class is divided into two groups. Half of the learners (Group A) are new students. They read some notices on the “Student Freewriting” corner to identify some common student problems. The other half (Group B) are peer counsellors. They read some texts to find out what advice and suggestions they can give to schoolmates with problems in studying.

Learners then do a speaking activity in pairs. One learner describes a particular problem in studying while the other student makes suggestions to help solve this problem.

Teachers may choose not to use all the texts provided and make necessary adjustment in related tasks.

Teachers’ Notes
Task 1 involves using different materials with the same class. Teachers may find the following ways of organizing the class useful:

�h	Have lower ability learners (Group A) play the role of new students and have more able students (Group B) play the role of the peer counsellors.
�h	Get Group A to sit at one side of the classroom while Group B sit at the other side.
�h	Distribute the relevant materials to Group A and Group B.
�h	Explain what Group A should do with the materials, while Group B study their materials on their own.
�h	After Group A have started working on their tasks, explain what Group B are supposed to do.
�h	After they finish, give out the answer key to the learners. Ask them to check their own answers. Walk round the class and answer any questions from the learners.
�h	Next, pair up one learner from Group A with another learner from Group B for the speaking activity.

5 Fundamental Intertwining Ways of Learning and Using Knowledge
	Communicating	(Learners read information about student problems and solutions to these problems.)
	Conceptualizing	(Learners organize their knowledge about problems in studying and ways of dealing with these problems.)
	Inquiring	
	Reasoning		(Learners explain whether their suggestions will work or not.)	
	Problem-solving	(Learners make suggestions to help solve their peer’s problem.)
						
Learning Targets (KS4) (Only relevant parts of the Learning Targets in the syllabus are presented  below.)
To develop an ever-improving capability to use English
�h	to find out, select, analyze, organize and present information on familiar and unfamiliar topics (KDa)
�h	to interpret and use more extensive and complex information through processes such as predicting (KDb)
�h	to converse, compare and justify points of view about feelings, ideas, experiences (IDb)

Learning Objectives
	Text-types
		survey reports
		notices
		letters
		feature articles
		leaflets

	Vocabulary
	Problems in studying:     adjust to school life, live up to someone’s expectations, bully, comply with orders, pressure, nervous, scared, inferior, frustrated, test anxiety, stressed out, cram materials, stay up, offenders
	Solutions to student problems:	relax, stay on top of a school subject, review, make positive affirmations

	Language Items & Communicative Functions (KS4)
	e.g.	Use a variety of tenses, passive voice, reported speech, adverbs, etc. to refer to events in the past, present and future and to the frequency with which things occur.
				Many new students are often bullied.
				In fact, I was one of the top students.
	e.g.	Use adjectives, adjective phrases, common expressions, etc. to describe one’s feelings and responses to happenings and states of affairs in some detail
				I feel frustrated.
				I’m really scared of tests now.
	e.g.	Use modals and common expressions to ask for and give advice on matters, including those related to one’s studies
				Students should actually learn to stay healthy.
On the exam day, students can make positive affirmations to themselves.

  Language Skills
1.		Reading
		Understand, interpret and analyze different written texts (KS3)
				-	acquire, extract and organize information relevant to specific tasks
				-	understand the use of discourse markers
		Understand, interpret and analyze different written texts (KS4)
				-	use linguistic and contextual clues and general knowledge to determine the meaning of the written text
				-	appreciate the stylistic variations between text-types
2.		Speaking
		Present information, ideas and feelings clearly and coherently (KS3)
				-	convey ideas and information in conversations
				-	describe the sequence of events, causes and effects
				-	use appropriate discourse markers
		Present information, ideas and feelings clearly and coherently (KS4)
				-	present feelings, views and arguments with suitable reasoning, suggestions and strategies
				Participate effectively in an oral interaction (KS3)
				-	explain what information one requires and why, rephrase one’s questions when necessary, and seek and give clarification
		Participate effectively in an oral interaction (KS4)
				-	support and develop each other’s views, reply, ask relevant questions, explain, give examples, and use common expressions where appropriate
3.		Writing
		Present information, ideas and feelings clearly and coherently (KS3)
				-	evaluate and make use of given information to complete specific tasks
4.		Listening
		Listen for intended meaning, feelings and attitude (KS3)
				-	extract information and ideas in spoken texts

  Language Development Strategies
		- Develop thinking skills (KS4)
�Y	reasoning skills
�Y	exploring alternatives and speculating about consequences
�Y	analyzing situations systematically for prediction of the development of events
		-Develop reference skills (KS3)
�Y	using a dictionary to find out about pronunciation, usage and grammar
		-Work with others (KS4)
�Y	communicating to the point, and explaining precisely and clearly

  Attitudes
	-	Keenness to participate in activities leading to improvement of  knowledge and skills in the language (KS1)
	-	Enjoyment of reading (KS2)
	-	A critical attitude towards ideas in spoken English texts (KS4)

Task 1 Part 1 (For Group A)

There is a “Student Freewriting” corner on one of the school bulletin boards. Its purpose is for students to freely express their ideas about study and school life.

You are a new S4 student. You are having some problems in adjusting to your new school life, and you need help. You decide to read the student notices on the bulletin board to see if other students are having similar problems. 

The following are the headings of all the notices on the bulletin board. Some of them are not relevant to your purpose. Decide which notices you want to read in detail. Circle your choices.

1.	Prefects’ Meeting

2.	New Students and Bullying

3.	Calling All Music Lovers

4.	Choral Speaking Practice - Reminder

5.	No More Tests Please!

6.	Book Exhibition

7.	Homework and Quizzes!

Now proceed to read the notices.

Task 1 Part 2 (For Group A)

You find three student notices which tell you what problems other students of the school are having. (These students notices are in the Data File.)

You have taken notes on the first student notice entitled “New Students and Bullying”, but think you have made some mistakes as you wrote the notes in a hurry. Now you have time and want to study the notice in detail. As you read, correct the mistakes in the notes you made.

Notes on “New Students and Bullying”

General information

	Notice was written by S7A students.
	Survey was done a year ago.
	S1, S3 and S4 students were interviewed.

Problem described

	Bullying

Examples of bullying

	Many new students are often bullied during the first 3 months of the term.
  Many small students jump the queue in the canteen.
  New S4 students are not forced to do things.
 	78% of new S4 students have been forced to lend homework to others.
	Some students are forced to clean blackboard even when a teacher is around.

How many corrections have you made?  ______________________________

Task 1 Part 3 (For Group A)

You decide to read the two other student notices - “Homework and Quizzes!” and “No More Tests Please!” in the Data File - in order to find out whether any other students are also having problems in adjusting to a new school life. After you have finished reading, summarize the main points below.

Notes on “Homework and Quizzes!”

General information

	Notice was written by an S4 student

Problem described

	

Examples of the problem

 	

	

Notes on “No More Tests Please!”

General information

	Notice was written by ........

Problem described

	

Examples of the problem

 	

	

Task 1 Part 1 (For Group B)

You are one of the peer counsellors of Progress Secondary School where there are a lot of new students. Many of these students are finding it hard to adjust to their new school life and want to seek advice. Before you give any suggestions to them, you decide to look for useful information from books, newspapers, leaflets, and so on. You particularly want to find solutions to common student problems.

Here are the titles of some of the texts which you have come across. Some of the texts are not relevant to your purpose. Decide which texts you want to read in detail. Circle your choices.

1.	Life as a Tutorial School Student

2.	Should Students Work Part-time?

3.	A Survey on Students’ Interests and Hobbies

4.	Information Technology - Does It Help Us to Learn Better?

5.	Coping with Bullying in Schools

6.	Choosing a Right Career

7.	Ways to Deal with Test Anxiety

Now proceed to read the texts.

Task 1 Part 2 (For Group B)

You find two information sheets which give details about who students can contact if they have problems in school. (These information sheets are in the Data File.)

Two fellow schoolmates have now come to you to seek advice. You think you can give them useful suggestions from the two information sheets. You need to give them suggestions quickly as they are in a hurry.

Now read your schoolmates’ problems below. Write down your suggestions in one minute.

1.	Jane:	“I often feel unwell during lessons, but I don’t want to go home. What should I do? Where can I get some medical advice?”

	Your suggestion:	Go to see ________ in ________.

2.  Peter:	“I’m feeling rather unhappy these days. I want to talk to somebody but I don’t want to see a teacher. I have to go soon today, but I’ll be free this Thursday around 3:45 in the afternoon. Who can listen to my problems? Where should I go?”

	Your suggestion:	________________________________________________.

Task 1 Part 3 (For Group B)

Make notes on the text entitled “Ways to Deal with Test Anxiety” (in the Data File) so that you can use the information to help fellow schoolmates who are scared of taking tests and examinations. Write down the suggested solutions to test anxiety in the spider map below. 

Task 1 Part 4 (For Groups A & B)

You will now do a speaking activity in pairs. One student from Group A (playing the role of a new student) is paired up with another student from Group B (playing the role of a peer counsellor). Each of you receives a different cue card. Study your cue card now. You may take notes, but do not read aloud from any prepared script when you speak.

Cue Card for Student A

You are a new student and have one of the problems described in Student Notices 1, 2 or 3 (in the Data File).
Describe your problem to your partner, who is a peer counsellor. Provide examples and other details so that your partner will understand your problem fully.
When your partner has given you his / her suggestions, discuss whether the advice will solve your problem or not.
End by thanking your partner for his / her help.

Cue Card for Student B

You are a peer counsellor and your partner, who is a new student, has come to you to say that he / she has a problem and needs your help.
Ask your partner to explain his / her problem to you. Try to get as many details as possible so that you can understand the problem fully.
Make suggestions to help to solve your partner’s problem. You may draw on the information from the Data File. You can also add any ideas of your own. 

Exemplar Module for KS4

Study, School Life and Work

Data File

Contents

																				      Page

1.   For Group A - Student Notice 1  ...........................................................   13

2.   For Group A - Student Notice 2  ...........................................................   14

3.   For Group A - Student Notice 3  ...........................................................   15

4.   For Group B – Ways to Deal with Test Anxiety....................................   16

5.   For Group B - Information Sheet I   ......................................................   18

6.   For Group B – Information Sheet II................................………………  19

7.   For Group B - Leaflet on Bullying in Schools  ......................................  20

For Group A

Student Notice 1

New Students and Bullying

We are the students of S7A. We have recently done a survey of some of the common problems faced by new students of our school. The following are our findings.

Of the 40 new S1 and S4 students interviewed, 85% have one problem or another in adjusting to a new school life. They feel that it takes time to remember where the facilities and rooms are, and some school regulations are so different from those of their previous school. A small number are also worried that they may not live up to the expectations of their new teachers. 

But the most alarming result of the survey is that many new students are often bullied, especially during the first two months of the school term. A large number of S1 students are forced to tolerate bigger schoolmates who jump the queue in the canteen. Some are made to line up for others, and a small number have to give up their seats in the canteen to senior form students.

It is not just S1 students who are bullied. New S4 students are sometimes forced to do things as well. A few of them have been made to swap desks or chairs with others in class. About 73% have been forced to lend their homework to their classmates to copy, and some even need to clean the blackboard every day when no teachers are around.

If students refuse to comply with any “order”, they are often isolated. For example, when group work is done in class, they may not be welcomed by any group. This affects both the social as well as academic confidence of these students.

Fortunately for these students, help is around. They can speak to our peer counsellors who are on duty every day after school or Miss Woo, our school counsellor, to see what advice they can get.

S7A class 

For Group A

Student Notice 2

Homework and Quizzes!

I am an S4 student. Even though school has started for only 1 month, I have already had to do a lot of homework and prepare for a lot of quizzes. For example, I have to work on my daily homework and revise lessons for quizzes from 4:00 pm to midnight. I hardly have any time to play or to watch my favourite T.V. programmes. It is not just a day or two like that; it is actually a daily routine for me. I understand that homework helps me to fully understand what I have learnt in class. But why are there so many quizzes? I wonder if this should be the life of a teenager like me. I still don’t know how to cope with life like this! Can anyone help please?

From a puzzled student

For Group A
Student Notice 3

No More Tests Please!

Dear teachers and fellow schoolmates,

I feel I’m under a lot of pressure from studying and must talk about my problems.

I joined this school as a new S4 student in September. Last year, I studied in another school and had good academic results. In fact, I was one of the top students, and everyone felt that I could go to university. So I had high hopes of making good progress when I came to this school.

The fact is, I find that my grades are dropping. And I don’t know how to study well! This school offers a lot of extra-curricular activities, and I’m a member of five clubs. All of these clubs hold regular weekly meetings, and so I find that I need to stay behind after school almost every day. When I return home, it’s usually 6 or 7 o’clock. There’s simply not enough time for me to do my homework and revise my subjects.

As I have little time for revision, my test results are dropping. I don’t get high grades any more, and what’s worse, I sometimes even fail in tests! My parents are naturally unhappy about this, and they constantly ask me to study hard. (I’m actually studying hard, but my parents want me to study harder!) So I try to remember all the words in the textbooks and worksheets. But there’s so much there - I just can’t memorize everything! I become very nervous and am losing weight.

I’m most worried the day before any test. I usually stay up till one o’clock in the morning but that doesn’t mean I have a lot of time for revision. My brother has the television on from 6.00 pm till 11.00 pm and I cannot concentrate well. After eleven o’clock, I start to study for the test but I find that there’s so much to remember. I begin from page 1 but everything seems to be new. How can I put so much in my head?

Then in the morning when I start the test, I feel very tired and my mind seems to have frozen. There’s very little that I can remember. I’m really scared of tests and exams now.

I’ve already cut down on the time I spend on jogging and doing physical exercises, but I feel very bad about it. I really love sports and don’t want to give them up. 

Compared with my classmates, I feel inferior. My classmates seem to be doing fine. They can finish their homework and projects on time, and they aren’t worried about tests and exams. I’m afraid that my ability is below average and don’t dare to talk to my classmates about my problems.

I feel frustrated. What can I do? I hope someone can give me some advice.

A worried student	

For Group B

Ways to Deal with Test Anxiety *

No matter when examinations take place, for many people test anxiety is a problem.

So often students will talk to counsellors about taking tests and/or test anxiety.

“I know the material, but when I go into the test I freeze, I can’t remember what I studied,” some say. Others say: “I can’t sleep or eat before I take a test; I get so nervous”, “If I don’t do well on my tests and get good grades my parents will be very mad at me”; and “I have to get a top grade or else I won’t be able to get into the university I applied to”.

There are a lot of expectations placed on students taking examinations and a lot of fear. It is hard to get away from all the anxiety. Everyone at school is studying at the same time and many are stressed out.

Students should learn how they can relax when taking exams. The best way is to stay on top of their subjects. They should try to study every day, get their homework in on time, and do not fall behind.

If students do not understand something, they should ask their teachers, parents, or if necessary, get another student to help or get a tutor. Or do all of the above.

Students should never wait till the last minute to try to cram all the materials they were given in a school term. It is impossible to remember all the materials.

As exam time gets closer, students should start reviewing their work, go over their notes and worksheets, and think about the discussions they had in class. (The material discussed and the homework assigned are usually what the teacher will ask in the exam.)

Students can also discuss problems with other classmates. They may have information that they did not get during a lesson. Comparing notes will be very useful.

When students are studying, they should read through the material. They should not try to memorise every detail but just keep reviewing.

Usually what happens to students before exams is they stay up very late, do not get enough sleep, and cut down on their eating. Or just the opposite - they eat too much junk food.

Students should actually learn to stay healthy. If they are tired going into the exam, their minds will not function as well.

On the exam day, students can make positive affirmations to themselves. “Yes, I do know this material”; “I am going to get a good grade”; and “I’m going to do the best I can” are much better statements than: “I’m going to fail”; and “I’m going to forget everything”.

When given the test, students should take a couple of minutes to look over the whole test and do the parts they know first. It is not helpful to get stuck and nervous about what they do not know.

Then students can go back to the questions they are unsure about and try to answer them. Attempts should be made to leave a few minutes at the end to go over all the answers.

If students start to get really nervous, they should take a minute, stop and start breathing slowly, and then go back to the test.

Soon enough the test will be over and students can relax and have some fun.

* See Acknowledgements.

For Group B

Information Sheet I

Progress Secondary School

Important Information

Talk to the following people if you have questions or wish to seek information regarding the following areas:

Area					Person in charge		Room number

Student affairs (school prefects,	Mr. Fung			Room 201
student union, etc.)			(Vice Principal)

Bullying				Mr. Leung			Room 311
					(Discipline Master)

Problems with studying, friends,	Miss Woo			Room 305
or family                            		(School Counsellor)

School fee, transportation 		Mr. Chan			Room 311
allowance				(Student Guidance)

Sport facilities (basketball court,	Mr. Tam			Room 110
badminton rackets, table-tennis	(P.E. Coordinator)
tables, etc.)

School facilities (telephones, 	Mr. Poon			Room 305
vending machines, water 		(Maintenance Officer)
fountains, etc.)

Facilities in the garden, car park	Mr. Wong			Room G15
					(Gardener)

First aid				Miss Chan			Medical Room
					(Nurse)

For Group B

Information Sheet II

Progress Secondary School

Important Information

Working Hours for peer counsellors :

All peer counsellors will be available in Room G03 from 3:30 - 6:30 pm on every weekday.

Time	Mon	Tue	Wed	Thur	Fri	
3:30-4:30	Paul Leung
(S5A)	Larry Poon
(S6A)	Jenny Tam
(S5A)	Vincent Li
(S5B)	May Wong
(S5C)	
4:30-5:30	Jenny Tam
(S5A)	Vincent Li
(S5B)	Paul Leung
(S5A)	May Wong
(S5C)	Larry Poon
(S6A)	
5:30-6:30	Mimi Kwan
(S6B)	Mimi Kwan
(S6B)	Mimi Kwan
(S6B)	John Hui
(S6A)	John Hui
(S6A)	

For Group B

Leaflet on Bullying in Schools

Coping with Bullying in Schools

What is bullying?

Bullying is the use of force or power to hurt people or to make them do things unwillingly. Bullying sometimes takes place in schools and students must learn how to cope with it.

Examples of bullying

If you are made to do any of the following by force or by threat, it means you are bullied.

�h	Carry schoolbags for schoolmates.
�h	Do homework for schoolmates.
�h	Give up your place in a queue.
�h	Clean the blackboard for the student on duty.
�h	Buy lunch boxes for others.
�h	Swap your chair for a broken one.
�h	Give your pencils, pens, paper, etc. to others.

Bullying can take many more forms. These all share the feature that someone is forced to do something against their own will.

What to do if you are bullied?

Don’t ever use force to fight back. Instead, you should do the following:

�h	Talk to your teachers. Don’t be afraid of being isolated by your classmates. If you don’t speak out, they will continue to bully you.
�h	Make it clear that you won’t do things unwillingly.
�h	Get your classmates to understand their own responsibilities.
�h	Seek help from the class monitor and school prefects.
�h	Stay in a group. Avoid being alone in the classroom, playground, etc.
�h	Report the case to the principal or discipline teacher.
�h	Talk to the peer counsellors or school counsellor, who may know the offenders and can discuss the matter with them and give them advice or warnings.